Based in Hong Kong, Michael Lau achieved worldwide acclaim for his collectible designer toy figures. Throughout the years, he has continually created timeless art pieces and is crowned as the “godfather of toy figures”. The inspiration behind the PUMA X MICHAEL LAU collection, “SAMPLE,” documents the mental journey of the creator, and expresses the interaction between the artist and the product. When working with PUMA, Michael’s aim is not to merely produce commercial products, rather, he is intrigued by the idea of exploring a concept as it begins from scratch to finally creating a masterpiece. That, he believes, is where the fun lies.

“Please enjoy and make fun out of the process of trial and error,” says Lau. “It may surprise you!” Michael hopes to remind everyone that sometimes mistakes will bring joy. According to his creative experience and understanding, when creating an item, no matter if it’s a figure or apparel or sneakers, the most amusing design may come from the designer or the factory technician’s unintentional mistakes. Facing these accidental miscalculations, most would dump the prototype and revise immediately. Michael, however, gladly embraces these mistakes. He observes the beauty of such “errors” from another angle and weaves these elements into his designs. His artistic perceptions are unveiled in the products for the PUMA X MICHAEL LAU collection. 

“I’m always looking for ways to merge streetwear with runway looks,” says Winnie Harlow “The Fashion Rebels collection is perfect for that!”

The Fashion Rebels collection includes the Hedra, Eris and Kyron. These shoes are made for Fashion Rebels - pack leaders who destroy doubts, don’t care about trends, and aren’t afraid to show their wild side. They are the must-have shoes for progressive, innovative and fashionable girls who love high-fashion and dare with bold style choices. The designs take inspiration from PUMA’s archive shoes and infuse them with high fashion elements.

The shoes feature a muted color palette with a unique wrapped tooling inspired by running spikes met with a material mix of suede and leather. The all-new Hedra gives street style a touch of avant-garde with a chunky silhouette, while the Eris has a sleek, radical silhouette. The Kyron debuted last summer as the first style to join the Fashion Rebels family, with a closed mesh upper and suede overlay.

When designing the Exhale Collection, PUMA made thoughtful decisions around sustainability by using eco-conscious materials, such as at least 70% recycled polyester, and by fully offsetting any unavoidable emissions.

The collection is made for those who want to make a more mindful space – spiritually, mentally, and environmentally, without losing any performance benefits. It includes a high waist full tight, studio bra, knit cover up, crop top, boyfriend-inspired tee, leotard, and a jogger – all in a neutral color palette.

“Yoga is one of my biggest passions, it has impacted my life in such a positive way. When PUMA approached me about partnering to create a yoga line, I was thrilled. We both are very focused on the environment, that is why it was important to design a collection with minimal impact,” said Cara. “This creates a more meaningful impact on our mind, body, and practice; allowing us space for peace and tranquility to simply exhale.”

KidSuper Studios is a homegrown artist collective based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2021, this circle of creatives joins with PUMA for a second season, offering their unique perspectives for a series of unexpected collection pieces. Bringing KidSuper founder Colm Dillane’s artwork to life, PUMA enters the crazy and colorful world of KidSuper, where classics are transformed into never-before-seen designs. 


The PUMA x KidSuper Studios second collaboration boasts mix-and-match design elements, experimental prints, and challenges the conventional look of a sneaker. Hook and loop closures, decorative zig-zag stitching, and embroidered branding are complemented by raw edges for a purposefully unfinished look. Inspired by Dillane's unbridled love of football, campaign images were shot with his favorite team and recent Copa Libertadores champions, Brazilian club Palmeiras. PUMA sponsored athletes William, Gabriel Veron, Weverton and Renan serve as the models for the collection.

Classic PUMA footwear styles are practically unrecognizable with the transformations in this collection. The RS-2K Slip-on is the standout piece, featuring the same camo inspired face print as the fleece top and pants, with a quilted upper. Mirage Mox and Trailfox Boot get colorful transformations and feature unique aspects like stitched leather pieces on the collar to hold a pencil on the Trailfox and tie dye laces on the Mirage Mox. The Vesuvo offers a more subtle option, with a white leather upper and semi-translucent rubber overlay on the heel, KidSuper Studios embroidery on hook and loop straps, and an exposed foam edge on the formstrip and tongue.

The designs are inspired by the sea with colors like bright aquamarine, yellow, and a soft pink alongside mesh details. These looks are perfect for a beach day with items like unitards, shorts, a mesh tank and dress, and more. The footwear selection includes beachy takes on some of PUMA’s most popular women’s styles like the Cruise Rider, Oslo Femme, RS-Curve, RS-X and Hedra.

The Cruise Rider Ocean Queen makes a splash with an open mesh base with suede overlays, leather metallic formstrip and silver details throughout. The silhouette features a slightly higher midsole with sculpting details, a TPU piece in the back, and Rider foam for the ultimate comfort.

The Ocean Queen collection is part of PUMA’s She Moves Us platform, which highlights some of its top female brand ambassadors to celebrate the women who have moved culture and sports forward and to inspire other women around the world. To learn more, click here.

The Wild Rider brings PUMA’s selection of ‘Futro’ styles to the next level - referencing different decades, mixing them up and combining them with modern technologies and construction techniques. The Wild Rider pushes the Rider product language forward, evolving it with fresh layers of material and futuristic circles at the midsole.

Taking archive inspiration from the Easy Rider II OG, the design is a ‘collage’ of past and future melted together – which can be seen in the debossed concave holes on the midsole and a rubber midsole wrap with embossed studs. This silhouette brings a whole new dimension to the Rider family, featuring a nylon upper with suede and premium leather overlays, TPU details on the eyelet and heel, a terry towel lining, deco stitching on upper, and the signature Rider foam. Just the heel alone has a series of unique design finishes, like a formstrip that flows into a heel pull, “Designed by PUMA” emblazoned across the back, and a hairy suede overlay. The back of heel also juts out from a futro inspired accent, further playing on the idea of motion that serves as inspiration for the shoe. Hints of vivid, almost industrial colors like royal blue to play with this idea of bringing together the past and the future.

The OP-1 PWRFrame emphasizes pure functionality through an almost simplistic approach, taking architectural structures as a basis behind the design inspiration, while simultaneously creating a bold look through the overall silhouette. 



“The design emphasizes functionality through a collage of contrasting construction techniques and manufacturing processes,” says Danny Taylor, Lead Sportstyle Designer for PUMA. “The PWRFrame component defines the overall vibrant look and shape of the shoe. It splices through the two-part midsole and loops around the heel, giving the design its unique aesthetic and DNA, while still retaining enough simplicity to communicate its functionality.”



The OP-1 PWRFrame plays with a contemporary and clean design. The upper contrasts more technical processes, like bonding and embroidery, with traditional overlay elements for a streetwear focused design. Neon accents on the PWRFrame component appear throughout all the OP-1 PWRFrame styles to draw attention to this new tech. It features a continuous ring of support from heel to midfoot – providing optimal comfort. Serving as the connecting structure between specific points on the shoe that require stability, the aesthetic of this element represents a more industrial approach. 

 

“Ich liebe Streetwear, deshalb war ich sofort begeistert, als PUMA mir vorschlug das Gesicht eines Streetstyle-Sneakers zu werden,” so Neymar Jr. “Du wirst den Wild Rider lieben und nicht mehr ausziehen wollen – ich trage ihn Non-Stop. É o meu favorito!”

Mit einem aufregenden Materialmix und den futuristischen Kreisen auf der Mittelsohle bringt der Wild Rider eine neue Dimension in die Rider Kollektion. Sein Design wurde von der umtriebigen Bewegung einer Großstadt inspiriert.  

“Wir erachten die Rider Kollektion als seine konstante Weiterentwicklung; wir starteten mit dem Future Rider, der noch sehr vom Easy Rider II inspiriert wurde und sich in etwas weiterentwickelt hat, was für sich selbst stehen kann, ohne zu offensichtlich mit der ursprünglichen Inspiration in Verbindung gebracht zu werden,” so Danny Taylor, Design Lead Sportstyle Footwear. “Mit jeder Lancierung konnten wir die Rider Familie Produkt für Produkt und Saison zu Saison weiterentwickeln.”

Based across both Milan and Shanghai, PRONOUNCE was founded in 2016 by Yushan Li and his creative partner Jun Zhou. The high-end brand reflects the pairs’ shared love of handcrafted garments, and a desire to perfect the creation of truly global, truly genderless clothing. They have a unique approach of playfully weaving in references and inspirations from Eastern, Western, and ancient cultures and philosophies. This approach fits seamlessly into the debut PUMA x PRONOUNCE collection, which combines ancient inspiration with a modern and minimalistic design approach.

In ancient Incan tradition, Pumapunku is believed to be the seat of global civilization, and now stands as a remnant of a vast complex of stone temples and geometric monuments. Taking cues from such intricate architectural constructions in the pre-technological age, the PUMA x PRONOUNCE collection brings this inspiration to life through the use of graphic motifs representing ropes, pulleys, and clay blocks. The color palette is inspired by the majesty of the sunset over Pumapunku, with gradient tones of orange, pebble, and muted grey.

In modern fits and gender specific styles, the apparel comes in a vibrant, gradient color story, with bold color blocking alongside earthy colors. Playful details resembling ropes adorn lightweight woven apparel styles with techy details. Items include tees, hoodies and sweatpants alongside more tailored pieces like a collared shirt, trousers, and a selection of jackets.

The footwear in the collection uses a very textural material mix in a neutral color scheme. Accents of bright orange and rope detailing add a bold touch. The selection includes new PUMA styles like the Suede Mayu, Mirage Sport, and OP-1 PWRFrame, as well as classics like the Basket VTG. A cap, backpack and mini messenger are included in the accessories offering for the collection.

Grab the PUMA x PRONOUNCE collection when it drops on PUMA.com, PUMA stores and select retailers. 

These playful kicks stand out with fun color blocking and a stacked sole. The latest edition gives a bold look in a display of pink, yellow and green. Paired with a matching jacket and biker shorts, Winnie shows off the perfect summer ready look.

“I love bright and bold looks so it’s perfect for me and brightens up my looks on my days off,” says Winnie.

The Cruise Rider is a women’s specific style made for those who are making big moves. This kick is a step above the rest with fun color blocking, a dynamic material mix, and a stacked outsole. The silhouette features a slightly higher midsole with sculpting details, a TPU piece in the back, and Rider foam for the ultimate comfort.

The Cruise Rider is part of PUMA’s She Moves Us platform, which uses its top female brand ambassadors to celebrate the women who have moved culture and sports forward and to inspire other women around the world. To learn more, click here.

This Wild Rider brings a whole new dimension to the latest addition of PUMA’s Rider family, with fresh layers of material for a raw, edgy look and futuristic circles at the midsole. Neymar Jr. wears the latest Wild Rider in the new mono-red colorway that adds a summer-inspired pop of color to any outfit.

The shoe’s design is inspired by the movement and motion of city life – always going forward, further, faster, and beyond. It features a nylon upper with suede overlays and a leather formstrip, along with TPU details on eyelet and heel and the signature Rider foam.

The latest Wild Rider drops on PUMA.com, PUMA stores and select retailers on July 21st.

PUMA spent a day with its brand ambassador and face of the Mirage franchise, DJ Snake. Arriving on his private jet, following him to the studio where he records, and lastly on stage, he is seen wearing the newest Mirage Sport Remix. I

ts fusion of street and classic sport, with design inspiration from DJ culture and electronic music performances is clearly shown on the Mirage silhouette. The main colorway comes in black, grey and primary colors, which are directly influenced by the lights of EDM shows. DJ Snake perfectly styles them to be worn throughout the day, and for any occasion.

“I’m excited to go back on stage this summer, I’ve missed playing in front of people and feeling the amazing vibe of live concerts,” says DJ Snake. “Can’t wait to do this and rock my new Mirage trainers while doing so.”

PUMA’s Mirage franchise is part of PUMA’s growing selection of Futro styles, a mashup of retro sneakers with futuristic inspiration. Put on a show with Mirage Sport and get yours starting July 28th at JD. Be on the lookout for Exclusive Colorways throughout the rest of 2021.